Display cabinet or container for stationery



July 15; 1930. H. H. HARSHMAN 1,770,519

DISPLAY CABINET OR CONTAINER FOR STATIONERY Filed May 5, 192a latentedJuly 15, 1930 UNE w ne

HUBERT HARRY HARSHMAN, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA DISPLAY CABINET ORCONTAINER FOR STATIONERY Application filed. May 5, 1928.

My invention relates to improvements in display cablnets or containersfor statlonery or other merchandise, and the object of the invention isto devise an'adjustable retaining 5 means, in a dontainer having adownwardly and forwardly inclined top, for holding merchandise such ascards against a face of the cover so that when the cover is closed andthe cards carried to an inverted position they will be definitely heldin place and when the cover is raised to its open or substantiallyvertical position such retaining means may be adjusted to simultaneouslyrelease all the cards for the free withdrawal of any one card and yethold the remaining cards in display position, and it consistsessentially of the arrangei'nent and construction of parts ashereinafter more particularly explained.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my cabinet or container shown in theopen position.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view show ing'the container in theclosed position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective detail shown partially in section ofmy retaining device.

Fig. 4: is a fragmentary perspective detail of the locking means bywhich both sides of the retaining means may be operated simultaneouslyfrom a central point between such sides.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional View through my containercover and retainin device and showing the locking means referred to inFigure 4;.

In the drawing like characters o'freference indicate correspondingpartsin each figure.

1 indicates the body of the container which forms a receiving wellprovided with a for wardly and downwardly inclined top.

2 are a series of parallel inclined ledges forming at their lower endsreceiving grooves or channels 3 in which the lower ends of the cards orother merchandise such as indicated 'at 4 are held, the top of the cardsresting in an inclined position upon the ledge with their upper endsoverhanging the upper edge of the ledge so that they can be easilygripped between the thumb and finger of the user for their withdrawal.

Serial N0. 275,487.

5 is my container cover hingedly connected at 6 at the upper end of theinclined top of the body 1. 7 are series of ledges or channels extendingtransversely of the container cover spaced a suitable distance apart andarranged parallel one to the other. The channels 7 are provided inproximity to each end with orifices 8 which are offset alternately inopposite directions longitudinally of the channels so as to be arrangedin a generally zig zag vertical formation for a purpose which willhereinafter appear.

9 and 10 are a pair of parallel spring rods or stifi wires which arepassed through the orifices 8 of all the channels 7. By zigzagging theposition of the orifices the opposite ends of the alternative, orificesfrictiona'lly engage the wire 9'or10 to hold such wire from longitudinalmovement and yet permit of such wire being forced by a slight manualpressure longitudinally. 9 is a stop pin or projection limiting thedownward movement of each wire 9 or 10.

11 are series of transverse spring rods or wires which extend normallyparallel to the channels 7 and are provided at their ends withenlargements 11 throughwhich an adjusting screw 12 extends, the screwbeing held from longitudinal movement in such enlargement by collars 11and 11. The inner end of the stem of the screw is alone threaded andmeshes with a correspondingly internally threaded orifice 13 formed ineach wire 9 and 10. By turning the screws 1:2 the wires 11 may beadjusted inward or outward to more or less grip the cards 14 supportedat their lower ends within the channels 7.

VVhenthe cover 5 is to be closed each of the wires 9 and 10, preferablyat a point of intersection of the central transverse wire 11, is grippedso that the transverse wires 11 are moved into a position adjacent thetop edges of the cards. l/Vhen so adjusted the cover may be lowered toits closed position and the cards supported so that they will have notendency to slip downward and forward out of their retained position.lVhen the cover is open for display purposes the wires 9 and 10 aremoved in the opposite direction so that the transverse wires 11 areadjusted to a position in close proximity to the channels 7 andtherefore, adjacent to the lower ends of the cards. This adjustmentpermits the major portion of the face of the card being clearly visibleto an intending purchaser and at the same time leaves the upper edges ofthe cards free so that they can be readily gripped between the thumb andfinger of such purchaser and withdrawn for inspection and then returnedto place.

It will of course be understood that one or the other of the wires 9 or10 may be moved longitudinally so as to permit cards either at one sideor other of the cover being removed r if so desired.

Under certain circumstances it may be advisable to enable the operatorto move the wires 9 and 10 simultaneously by the employment of one handonly. In order to permit of this operation being performed the followingmechanism is provided.

The wires 9 and 10 are provided at their outer sides with notches 9 and10* arranged in horizontal alignment one with the other. 15 is a rigidbar provided at its ends with upwardly and downwardly extending arms 15*and 15 provided with inturned ends 16 and 17 having orifices 16 and 16through which the wires 9 and 10 freely extend.

17 and 18 are spring pressed locking rods provided at their inner endswith finger grips 19 and 20, and at their outer ends with locking pieces21 and 23. The rods 17 and 18 are s rin pressed in their outwardposition so t at t e locking pieces 21 and 22 areout of en agement withthe notches 9 and 10*. The rods 17 and 18 are slidably connected to thebar 15. When it is desired to move the rods 9 and 10 simultaneously bythe employment of one hand the finger grips 19 and 20 are gripped by thefingers of one hand and forced together against the pressure of thesprings 17" and 18 thereby carrying the locking pieces into engagementwith the notches 9 and 10. The hand still ripping the finger pieces 19and 20 is mover? up so as to simultaneously carry the rods 9 and 10upward to their upper osition or in opposite direction when it is esiredto return the rods 9 and 10 to their lower position.

From this description it Will be seen that I have devised a very sim 1eand easily operated means whereby car s or other like articles ofmerchandise may be held against the face of a cover so that such cardswill be held definitely in position when the cover is lowered to adownwardly inclined position and the card carried towards an invertedposition and yet may be quickly and easily adjusted so that when thecover is raised such retaining means may be removed from the upperportion of the card face leaving it clearly visible to an intendingpurchaser, and so that this upper edge will be free permitting suchupper edge to spring slightly outward from the cover so that such edgemay be readily gripped between the thumb and finger of the purchaser andremoved and returned as desired.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is:

1. In a display cabinet or container for stationery or othermerchandise, the combination with a container cover, of a series oftransverse supporting ledges carried on a face of the cover, atransverse retainer adjacent each ledge and means carrying the retainersfor simultaneously varying the distance between each ledge andtransverse retainer.

2. In a display cabinet or container for stationery or othermerchandise, the combination with a container cover, of a series oftransverse supporting ledges carried on a face. of the cover, atransverse retainer adjacent each ledge, and means carrying theretainers for simultaneously varying the distance between each ledge andtransverse retainer so that the retainer alternatively assumes aposition adjacent to or remote from the ledge and means on the retainercarrying means for adjusting the retainer to or from the face of thecover.

3. In a display cabinet or container for stationery or othermerchandise, the combi nation with a container cover, of a series oftransverse supporting ledges carried on the face of the cover, atransverse retainer adjacent each ledge, and means for carryin r theretainers operable from a point central y of the cover forsimultaneously varying the distance between each ledge and transverseretainer so that the retainer may assume a position adjacent to orremote from the ledge.

4. In a display cabinet or container for stationery or othermerchandise, the combination with a container cover, of a series oftransverse supporting ledges carried on the face of the cover, parallelmovable rods extending through the ends of each of the aforesaid ledges,transverse retainers carried by the rods and ada ted to be moved topositions adjacent the le ges or to positions remote from the ledges.

5. In a display cabinet or container for statione or other merchandise,the combination with a container cover, of a series of transversesupporting ledges carried on a face of the cover, parallel movable rodsextending through the ends of each of the aforesaid ledges and havingfrictional engagement therewith and retainers carried by the rods.

6. In a display cabinet or container, the combination with a containercover, of ledges extending from the cover having orifices in each endthereof alternatively set in opposite directions, parallel movable rodsextending throu h the alternative offset orifices to alter native yfrictionally engage the alternate ends thereof, a transverse retainercarried by the rods and adapted to be moved to a position adjacent aledge or to a position remote from the ledge. I

7. In a display cabinet or container for stationery or othermerchandise, the combination With a container cover, of a series oftransverse supporting ledges carried on a face of the cover parallelmovable rods extending through the ends of each of the aforesaid ledges,transverse retaining Wires extending between the aforesaid parallelmovable rods and adapted to be moved to positions adjacent the ledges orremote from the ledges, and a set screw connection through eachtransverse Wire and movable rod.

8. In a display cabinet or container for stationery or othermerchandise, the combination With a container cover, of a series oftransverse supporting ledges carried on a face of the cover,longitudinal movable rods slidably held in the ledges and havinghorizontally aligned notches therein, transverse retainers carried bythe rods, a pair of finger grip-s located centrally between the rods,slide bars to the inner ends of which the finger grips are connectedprovided at their opposite ends with inturned portions adapted to becarried into engagement with the notches when the finger grips areforced together, and spring means for carrying the finger grips apart.

9. In a display device, a main supporting member, horizontal supportingmeans spaced suitable distances apart on the main supporting member,Wires parallel to and spaced from the horizontal supporting means, andmeans for movably supporting such Wires so that they can be carried frompositions remote from the horizontal supporting means to positionsadjacent such horizontal supporting means.

HUBERT HARRY HARSHMAN.

